Dwight Howard out indefinitely with a herniated disk in his lower back

Team officials announced Friday night that Dwight Howard has a herniated disk in his lower back, and the injury raises doubts whether the All-NBA center will be able to return in time for the playoffs and whether he could be effective if he does play.

"His return will be determined in how he responds to treatment," team spokesman Joel Glass said.

Howard's condition was diagnosed Friday by spine surgeon Robert Watkins after Howard and Magic physical therapist Ed Manalo went to Southern California for a second medical opinion.

"Are you kidding me?" the Magic's Glen Davis responded when he was told the news.

"It's going to be tough without him next couple weeks. A herniated disk? That's crazy. Dwight isn't playing, everybody has to step up. Everybody."

The injury to Howard, the reigning three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and the sport's most dominant center, leaves a gaping void for the Magic.

The Magic have lost four of the five games they have played without him this season, including Friday night's 109-81 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks.

Nowhere is Howard's absence felt more than at the defensive end of the court. Opponents have shot over 50 percent from the field in four of the five games Howard has missed this season.

Without Howard, the Magic struggle to defend the paint, and that deficiency produces a domino effect on other areas of the defense. If players overcompensate to defend drives to the hoop, then it leaves opportunities for opponents' perimeter players to shoot 3-pointers.

"I just think we have to have a better mindset going forward," Magic shooting guard J.J. Redick said. "No excuses. Obviously, to be a lot better we're going to have to figure out defensively a way to play that defends better because obviously we're going to miss having Dwight on that end of the floor a lot."

In recent days, both he and Magic officials insisted that he had no structural damage to his back.

On Thursday afternoon, after he participated in practice and the pain returned, he was asked specifically whether he had been assured there was no disk problem.

"There's no disk problems," he answered.

But Howard was concerned enough that he and his agent, Dan Fegan, sought a second medical opinion. Those concerns led them to Watkins.

Fegan did not return messages Friday.

Howard had averaged 38 minutes, 20 seconds per game this season.

"We've been playing him too much," Davis said.

"Imagine that and the pounding that he gets, the things that he has to go through."

The Magic hold a 34-25 record and sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

To be knocked out of the playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks (28-30) would need to finish with a better record because Orlando owns the tiebreaker over Milwaukee.

But Orlando faces additional concerns.

The Magic are just three games ahead of both the current seventh- and eighth-place teams. If the Magic fall to seventh, they would likely face the Miami Heat in the first round. If the Magic fall to eighth, they likely would face the Chicago Bulls in the first round.